Vacuum sweeper



Aug. 26, 1930. c. c. DAN :E VACUUM s wrJEPER Filed March 24, 1925 :s sheets-sheet 1 nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn I Aug. 2.6, 1930. c. c; DANCE VACUUM swsEPER a Smau-sheet 2 Filed Mar'ch 24, 1923 amado@ Aug. 26, 1930. c. c. DANCE VACUUM SWEEPER Filed March 24, 1923 5 Sheets-Shea?l 3 have such oscillatory Patented Aug. 26 1930 ULIFFOBD C.

PATENT OFFICE DANCE, 0I DENVER, COLORADO VACUUI SWEEPEB Appumon mea man a4, ma.

The object of this invention is to provide a lvacuum cleaner, which is driven by an electric motor, wherein a scheme of mounting and positioning the motor is employed suc that thrust upon the motor shaft by a member driven therefrom will be eliminated. is also an ob'ect to provide in such a machine novel and eiiicient means for cleaning a floor covering by a combination of beating, brushing and suction, and to control some of said means from said motor through said driven member.

Briefly the invention resides in a casing having a single, preferably elongated intake opening for air, a motor on the casing, a suction-creating fan driven by the motor, means cooperating with the fan and adapted to beat a {ioor covering, means cooperating with the fan and beating means for sweeping or brush ing said covering, and a connection with the motor shaft for preferably both of said means. Either the beating means or the brushing means has oscillatory motion imparted thereto by said connection, and preferably both of said means motion imparted therethe same mechanical movement provided through said connection. The oscillation of the brushing means opens up the nap of the floor covering from both opposite directions and prepares said nap for most efficient action of both the suction and the beating means. Cooperating with the above mentioned cleaning means is a plurality of guard fingers positioned across the intake opening to limit upward movement of the covering under influence of the suction and space sai covering from the edges or lips of the opening to insure air currents along the surface of the covering to pick up dust and dirt loosened by the brushing and beating means, said guard fingers serving to properly position the floor covering for most eicient action of said means. By proper relative positioning of the brushing means and the carpet, movement of the ends of the bristles a ainst the nap of the carpet will tend to cause exure of the brush bristles and elevation of the brush head to assist the dirt loosenino` operation. `Where he brush head is yielbdingly to' by positively driving one or:

Serial No. 827,298.

mounted as is advisable in at least some forms of the invention, elevation will actually take place when said bristles are moved against h the nap either by movement of the cleaner over the carpet or by movement of the brush It b the driving means on the cleaner. In adand beaters may be ad-y dition the brushes instable bodily as )ustable arms.

A very important feature resides in the scheme of mounting the fan-carrying motor shaft. This mounting has only two bearings by being mounted 1n adyfor the shaft. One bearing is provided at one at the other side of the motor and closely adjacent thereto, the fan is positioned, and beyond and closely adjacent the fan the second bearing is. rovided. Immediately beyond one of the hearings, means such as a gear is placed on the shaft for operative connection with means to drive the brushes or beaters or both. While onl the two bearings mentioned are employe these arel sufficient to maintain perfect alinement of the shaft and no are suffered from thrust of the brush and beater driving means upon said shaft. In the preferred form of construction, the said means for driving the brush and beaters is housed in a dust-tight chamber Within the casing. The means for driving the brush and beater construction is adapted to be disconnected from driving relation vwith the motor shaft, as by moving the same from engagement with said gear, or by disconnectside of the motor;

ing the gear itself from driving engagement with the shaft. v

Certain subject matter hereof is also disclosed in my companion application Ser. No.

' 627,294, filed March 24, 1923.

In the accompanying drawings whereiny certain embodiments of the invention are dis-r mounting of the upper end of the dust bag on the handle;

Fig. 3 is a detail of a modified form of means for driving the brush and beater mechanism from the motor shaft and for releasing the drivin connection therebetween;

Fig. 4 s ows a modified means of handle support ada ted for variously adjusting the handle, and ig. 5 shows the construction at the upper end of the handle; l

Fig. 6 is a face view taken from the line 6 6 of Fig. 5 ;A

Fig. 7 is a cross section through the brush and beater carrying body of Figsul, 8 and 11;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. l;

Fig. 9 is a view taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8 showing the forward supporting wheels;

Fig. 10 is an edge elevation of a cap in line for moving into position to close a neck 97 when the cleaner is to be used for cleaning fioor coverings, the cap being removable when desired to connect attachments;

Fig. 11 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 11 11 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11a is a .detail showing the mounting of the middle portion of the brush body 29 in' the -walls 21 to permit movement therein;

Fig. 12 is a detail taken on line 12 12 of Fig. 11 showing the means for supporting the brush-and-beater-carrying body and the guard fingers;

Fig. 13 is a sectional detail taken on the line 13 13 of Fig. 8 showing the means for moving the gear, which actuates the brush and beaters, to and from driving engagement with the motor shaft;

Fig. 14 is a perspective of a closure for the elongated intake opening 11 when attach ments are to be connected to neck 97 seen in 1 Fi .,15 is a bottom View showing a modified Form of attachment in position;

ig. 16 is a Jlperspective view of the attachment per se o Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 discloses a rotary beater arrangement in combination with a brush stationarily mounted on the casing;

Fig. 18 shows a brush-head carrying beaters adapted for rotation;

Fig. 19 shows a modified formof brush head having beaters carried by an adjustable frame mounted on the brush head;

Figs. 2O to 27 show various arrangements of brush and beater means, as follows: Fig. 20, oscillating beater and stationary brush; Fig. 2l, reciprocating beater and stationary brush; Fig. 22, oscillating brush and reciproeating beater; Fig. 23, reciprocating brush and oscillating beater; Fig. 24, yielding brush and oscillating beater; Fig. 25, yielding brush and reciprocating beater; Fig. 26, rotary brush and reciprocating beater; Fig. 27, rotary brush and oscillating beater;

Fi 28 is a bottom view showing the floor whee s well spaced in the rear of the intake opening.

The drawings disclose a casing 10 having top, bottom, side, front and rear walls, the bottom Wall being provided with a transverse, elongated, single air intake opening or slot 11 (Fig. 8), while the upper portion of the casing carries a small electric motor 12 for actuation of the various parts of the cleaner. Said motor 12 has'an armature A mounted upon a drive shaft 13 whose upper end is mounted in a journal in the upper portion'of the motor casing as indicated at 14. Immediately below said armature A the hub 15 of a fan A16 is secured to shaft 13, and immediately below the fan a second journal indicated in general at 17 is provided for said shaft13, said journal 17 being mounted in a transverse Wall 18 carried by casing 10 below fan 16. The lower end of shaft 13 extends through the wall 18 into a 'dust-tight chamber or cavity extending longitudinally of the middle of casing 10 and formed by the wall 18, a rear wall 19 within the casing 10, the front wall of casing 10, the bottom wall of casing 10, and parts to be described which complete the bottom wall of the chamber, in conjunction with side walls 21. As shown in Fig. l, said lower end of shaft 13 within the dust-tight chamber has a worm gear 22 fixed thereon which is adapted for engagement with a gear 24 carried on a transverse shaft 25, to which gear 24 there is eccentrically connected at 26 a pitman 27 pivotally connected with an arm 28 of abody 29 which carries a brush-head 30 having bristles 31 and which also carries beater fingers 32 having beating elements such as knobs 32', The

fingers 32 are preferably of spring wire andthe knobs 32 ma be added to assist the beating operation. hese beating fingers 32 have offset looped portions 33 which are received in the groove which receives the brush head 30, said head 30 thereby retaining the fingers 32 and preferably being countersunk as shown to accommodate the loops 33. Fach head 30 is retained by means of a washer 34 at one end and a ferrule 34 at the other end as seen in Fig. 11.

Thus the brush-and-beater-carrying body member 29 is rocked or oscillated by the pitman 27 under inuence of the gear wheel 24 driven from the worm gear 22 on the lower end of shaft 13. The thrust of the gears 22 and 24 is entirely absorbed by the lower bearing 17 for shaft 13 by reason of the close positioning of said bearing 17 to the worm gear 22 which bearing is thus below the fan 16. By this arrangement onlynthe two bearings 14 and 17 are required .arid the shaft 13 is held positively in perfect alinement; no other bearineF is required and the construction is there y simplified. Access to gears 22 and 24 through the bottom of the casing and extend u may be had by removal of a false bottom 20 which forms a partv of the bottom of the dust-tight chamber; this bottom is retained by means of a plurality of rigid fingers 20 and one or more sliding fingers 23 adapted to engage in a notch or notches in the wall 19. In order to complete the closing of the bottom of the dust-tight chamber which encloses the pitman 27 and gears 22 and 24, a U-shaped cap 35 is employed whose sides are bifurcated ward alongside the walls 21 at thesides o the body 29 and whose upper ends engage under overhanging lugs 21 on said walls 21. Suicient space 1s provided to permit vertical adjustment of the body 29 and the joints are sealed by means of felt washers or the like which overlap the joints and are held between the bifurcations of the cap 35 and the metallic washers 34, the latter being retained in position by any suitable means such as friction. By rounding off the edges of the bifurcations of cap 35, the felt washers 35 will have lon li e and yet a dust-tight seal will be provi ed. At the same time the brush and beater body 29 may move freely between said bifurcations. Thus dust and dirt are free to pass through the intake opening 11 and at the outer sides of the walls 21 to the rear of the casing while dust is effectually excluded from the means which actuate the body member 29.

Said actuating means for the brush and beater member 29 is adapted to be disconnected from driving engagement with the motor as by means shown in Fig. 3 or preferably by means disclosed in Figs. 8 and 13. As shown in Fig. 8, the shaft 25 which carries the gear wheel 24 is eccentrically-mounted in a bushing 36 whose inner end works in one of the inner walls 21 and whose outer end works in an elongated-boss or hub 36. Rotation of bushing 36 moves gear wheel 24 to and from engagement with worm `gear 22, said rotation being controlled by a knob 37 operatively vconnected with the bushing by machine screws 38 threaded into the-end of the bushing 36. A spring 39 is placed about said screws 38 with its opposite ends in engagement with a plate 40 bearing against the heads of the screws and slidable in a cavity in the knob, and with a large plate 41 secured at the outer end of said cavity opposite the end of bushing 36. Thus the spring 39 tends to urge the knob against the outer end of the bushing and the hub 36, the heads of the screws 38 working in openings 42 through which the screws .may be introduced and the tension of the spring 39 regulated. The knob 37 is provided with a short pin 43 adapted to enter a socket 43 in the hub 36 and with a longer pin 44 adapted to work in an annular slot 44 in said hub. When gear 24 is in engagement with gear 22 pin 43 is Aseated in socket 43'; when the knob is withdrawn and rotated to shown in Fig.

to said knob disengage the gears-the' pin 43 is withdrawnl while pin 44 is only .partially withdrawn and Y i travels in slot 44', the knob 37 remaining withdrawn and the pin 43 bearing upon the outer face of the hub 36 as long as the gears are disengaged, or entering a second socket not shown.

A modified form of driving connecton'is extension 13 of shaft 13,v and a spring 50 bearing against the false bottom 20 and a washer 51 urges gear tension and insures engagement of the friction clutch 52. Removal of bottom 2O permits removal of spring 50 or of both spring 50 and gear 22.

The air current created by the fan 16 passes upward through the openingll and rearward outside the walls 21 to the passage in the back portion of the casing below the fan 16 as indicated at 45, thence upward past the fan and into the passage 46 behind the fan, and thence into the usual dust bag 47 which is carried on the ring 48 secured to the rear end of casing 10 by suitable means 49.

The body 29 which carries the brush and beater mechanism is provided with a shaft 29 the ends of which are journaled in arms 55 adjustably mounted at the sides of the casing 10. Said shaft 29 may be journaled directly in said arms 55 as seen in Fig. 7, or the ends thereof may be mounted in journal blocks 53 slidable vertically in the arms 55 against a spring device 54 as seen in Fig. 12. This permits the body 29 to yield upwardly if too great upward pressure on the bristles should occur. Said arms 55 have their rear ends pivoted to the walls of the casing 10 at 56, while their forward ends are apertured at 57 for selectively receiving spring controlled adjusting pins 58 for properly adjusting the position of the brushes or bristles 31 with respect to the oor covering.

Also mounted on the pivots 5'6 are the rear ends of the side arms of a frame 60 which carries a plurality of guard fingers 61. The forward ends of these fingers are secured in the front bar of frame 60 while the rear ends are curved upward and thence downward at 62 so that the rear extremities will rest upon the upper face of the solid portionf' of the gers may be straight as in Figs. 1 and 12 or they may be curved for purposes of better opening up the nap of the carpet to ythe brush 3 where gear 22 slides on an 22 upward on said exas indicated at 61 in Fig. 1a. For insuring spacing of the carpet from the lips of the .intake opening at the ends thereof spacing -loops 63 may be secured to and project from the casing to cooperate with the guard lingers 61 as best seen in Fig. 12.

In the casing 10 at each end of the slot 11 a small chamber is provided in which floor wheel (i5 is pivoted upon arms 66. At' one end arms 66 are pivoted to the casing at 67 while the other end carries a screw 68 upon which there works a threaded nut 69 held between positioning lugs 70 and project-ing through the casing wallfor adjustment by the operator. Thus the wheels 65 may be projected from the casing as much as desired to control the spacing of the lips ot' the opening 11 from the floor. Cooperating with the wheels 65 is a pair of wheels 71 journaled in a bracket 72 at the rear of casing 10. Caising 10 also carries the usual protecting buiier B.

The machine is propelled by a handle 75 retained by a nut 75 in asocket 76 on a yoke 77 pivoted at 78 to the casing, and the handle may be supported in one position by a brace 79 notched at 80 to receive a finger 81 on the socket 76. Said brace 79 is mounted on casing 10 at 82 and is pressed by a spring 83 to insure engagement. An electric conduit 84 attached to the handle at 85 leads to a switchor other connection 86 on the casing adjacent.

the motor 12. The upper end of the bag 47 has a loop to engage over a hook 87 carried on a ring 88 slidable on the handle 75 between two limitingr screws; this permits natural movements of the bag 47 during inflation and deflation. A modified form of handle support is shown in Fig. 4 in the form of an arcuate stationary brace 90 having small notches 91 and 92 at opposite ends thereof for holding the handle in definite low and high positions respectively, and a long middle notch 93 to permit natural movement during use. The notches 91, 92, and 93 are engageable by the end of a rod 94 slida-ble in the handle 75 and spring urged into engaging position. The rod is withdrawn from engaging position by means of a knob 95 thereon projecting from the handle through a bayonet slot in a plate 96 in which the end ot the rod works, the upper end of the slot being adapted to hold the rod in withdrawn position.

In order that an attachment may be connected with the machine for cleaning articles other than floor coverings, a neck 97 is provided on the casing opposite the hub 36 as shown in my companion application. This neck carries a partially rotatable ring 98 having an operating finger 99. Ring 98 is notched at 100 and is disposed between two stationary rings notched at 101 and 101. lVhen ring 98 is positioned to aline notch 100 with notches 101 and 101', retaining tongues 102 on a closure cap 103 having a. flan e 104 may be passed into the innermost note 101', ring 98 then being moved to the position shown whereby said tongues 102 will be locked in the notches 101. `The cap 103 closes said neck when the machine is used as a Hoor cleaner. When other articles are to be cleaned by the suction produced by the fan the cap 103 will be removed and an attachment havingtongues like tongues 102 will be connected, such an attachment being covered in my companion application. When so used, the brush and beater mechanism and gear 24 will be disconnected from drive shaft 18 as above described, and the intake opening or slot 11 will be closed by means of a plate 105 shown in Fig. 14. Theedges of this plate 105 are offset to form a rim 106 for engaging the lips of the opening, thus providing a countersunk portion to t around the o'set guard lingers 61. The plate is retained by means of fixed lingers 107 and sliding fingers 108 having manipulating portions projecting from the outer face thereof, the ends of said fingers engaging the top of the bottom wall on one side of' the slot 11 and the top of the frame 60 on the other side of the slot. V i

A modified form of attachment is disclosed in Figs. 15 and 16, wherein the casing 10 has a bottom 110 removably secured thereto as by means of screws, said bottom defining one side of the intake opening or slot 111 and having a pair of apertures 112 for connection with the attachment. The attachment comprises a plate 113 adapted to cover the opening 111, the plate carrying a hollow head 114 to which a hose 115 is attached. The portion ot' the plate 113 covering slot 111 is double thickness to fit against the edge of bottom 110 and is provided with fixed fingers 116 and slidable fingers 117 having manipulating portions 118 projecting from the outer side of the plate, whereby the plate may be secured to the casing in the same manner as described tor plate 105. When the plate 118 is so secured sleeves 120 thereon fit into the apertures 112 through which the suction of the motor is made operable in the hose 115. When the cleaner is being used on the floor as usual the apertures may be left open, or closed in any manner, as desired.

Figs. 18 and 19 disclose modified forms of brush-and-beater-carrying bodies. In Fig. 18 the body 129 is rotary as is the brush head carrying beater fingers 132 *being elongated to flex as indicated in dotted lines and having the knobs 32 adjacent the ends, thereof. In Fig. 19, an oscillatory brush head 121 is disclosed, over which there passes the looped portion 122 of each spring beater linger 32, the fingers 32 being carried on a frame 123 adj ustably mounted on the head 121 by means of pins V124 engageable in corresponding sockets. This latter form may be readily bristles 31, the springslot 156 in an arm 154 .or otherwise shown in Figs. 1 to substituted for that shown in Figs. 1, 7, 8, 11 and 12.

Fi 28 discloses a different positioning of the oor wheels with res ect to the intake slot 11 and the rear wheels 71.

Figs. 17 and 2O to 27 show various arrangements of brush and beater elements that may be used in conjunction with the vacuum.

v'The forms of Figs. 17 and 20 to 27 are all within the scope of the invention and indicate different means for combining the efects of brush, beater and vacuum, Where-` in either or b oth of 'the brush and beater mechanisms are positively operated when the motor is being driven to create suction.

. In Fig. 17, a brush 131 is iixdly or stationarily mounted on the casing 10 and the resilient beater fingers 132, such as shown in Fig. 18, are mounted on a rotary body 130 driven by a belt 133 from floor wheels 134 as desired. In Fig. 20, the stationary brush 131 is used in conjunction with oscillating beaters-32', 132, mounted on an oscillatin head 135 actuated by pitman 27, while in ig. 21 the same brush 131 is employed with reciprocating beater members 136 in the form of frames having cam parts on the upper bars thereof as seen at 13 for vertical actuation by a horizontally reciprocating rod 138 operated by pitman 127 from gear 24, the frames 136 being elevated against springs 140 and guided by sleeves and pins 141. In Fig. 22, the brush head 129 is oscillated b pitman 27 and gear 24, while the beater ramesf136 are vertically reciprocated against tension of springs 142 by anti-friction rollers orJ the like 143 at the pivot of the itman with the brush head. In Fig. 23, a Body 145 carrying beaters 146 is oscillated by pitman 27 and a brush head 144 is horizontally reciprocated in a slot 148 through the medium of a pin 147 or the like on said pitman 27. In Figs. 24 and 25, brushes 149 are mounted to yield vertically against springs 150 the brush mountings being carried on brackets 151; in Fig. 24 the oscillating beaters 146 are used and in Fig. 25 the vertically reciprocating beater frames 136 are employed in conjunction with brushes 149. In Fig. 26 the frames 136 cooperate with a rotary brush head 129 having a cam 152 for lifting the frames. In Fig. 27 rotary brush head 129 carries a pin'157 working in ivoted at 155 and carrying beaters 153 which are thereby oscillated when the brush head rotates.

In using the preferred form of the device 14, the entire body member 29 may be removed by swinging'out the frame 60 carrying the guard fingers 61, and then swinging out the arms 55 which carry saidbody. Said arms 55 are suiciently resilient that they may be iexed outward to release the body 29. By removing the ferrules 34', the brush heads 30 and the resilient beater iingers 32 ma be removed, the brush heads vbeing withdrawn from under the washers Y34.- The arms 55, after replacement of body 29, will be returned to whatever position of adjustment the nap of the carpet and the length of the bristles 31"may require. The fingers 61 may be so set that when the frame 60 is returned they will be sufliciently tensioned by engagement with the upper face of the bottom as to prevent undue upward movement of the carpet under iniuence of the suction. The center finger which lies below the closure 35 necessarily engages the bottom of said closure, vthe loo 62 of the rear end of the linger being eliminated.

As the machine is passed over the floor, the carpet is drawn up to the guard fingers 61 for engagement by the brush and beaters, the speed of the latter with relation to the motor being reduced in accordance with the ratio of the gears employed. The spacing produced by the lingers 61 insures currents of air between the lips of theV slot 11 and the carpet forcarrying off surface litter and loosened dust. VHowever these currentsare not sufficient to satisfy the fan 16. As a result, air currents through the carpet downward at points beyond the slot are produced and a cushion of air is provided under the carpet and below the slot upon which cushion the beating and sweeping functions are performed, the air being then drawn up through the carpet and the slot and forced rearward to the bag 47. Any undue pressure against the bristles will either cause fiexure of the bristles, as in the. form of Fig. 7, or will cause the body 29 to yield as in Figs. 11 and 12. In the event that matches or the like are caught between the carpet and the guard fingers 61, they will be released to the effects of thelsuction as soon as the looped portions 62 pass over them, the matches being drawn upward into the looped portions and thus freed to be drawn thence into the opening between the fingers and rearward to the fan. Under undue pressure the fingers 61 may yield, if tensioned for this purpose.

The provision of the sliding ring 88 on the handle permits movement of thel handle through its entire arc of movements with the bag inflated, the ring 88 sliding down against the lower screw 89 when the handle is raised and back to the upper screw 89 when the handle is brought to its lowest point. The connection of the electric cable 84 at. 85 is preferably such as will prevent a strain at the point of attachment at 86 should the cleaner be moved to the limit of the cable. Y

In order that the attachment of Fig. 16, may be used with the casing 10 of Figs. 1 and 8, the forward wall of the casing vis notched at 116 for the purpose of receiving the ends of the lingers 116, and the bottom of the casing is apertured at 112 (as in Fig. 15) for ried by said brush body,

the purpose of receiving the sleeves or connections 12() of the attachment 114. When the attachment is not used, the apertures 112 are closed by means of screw plugs or the like 120. Vhen the attachment is to be used thus, it is necessary to removethe guard fingers 61 and frame 60. This is accomplished merely by swinging the framey 60 out as above described and springing the resilient arms of the frame from the ends of the screws 56. The attachment then may be readily positioned for use, the intake opening being sealed thereby and the suction being produced through the apertures 112.

I claim:

1. In a vacuum cleaner comprising a casing having an intake opening adapted to pass over a surface to be cleaned, a shaft mounted within the casing above said opening, the mountings having axial alinement with said shaft, a brush body having brush tufts secured thereto surrounding said shaft and 'ournaled centrally thereof, a plurality of eaters carried by said brush body, means for imparting oscillating movement to the brush body, and means for creating suction to remove dust loosened by the brush and beaters.

2. In a vacuumv cleaner, a casing, a motor therein, a motor shaft having only two bearings, one bearing being at one side of the motor, a fan on the shaft at the other side of the motor, the second bearing being beyond the fan, said shaft projectingL beyond said second bearing and carrying driving means thereon beyond and closely adjacent said second bearing, and cleaning elements adapted to be driven by said driving means, said casing containing a dust-tight housinglrigidlymounted therein into which said aft depends and in which said driving means is mounted.

3. In a vacuum cleaner comprising a casing having an intake opening adapted to pass over a surface to be cleaned, a brush su porting member on each end wall of sald casing, a shaft mounted in said support members, a brush tutt carrying body mounted for rotation on said shaft and journaled centrally thereto and with relation to the mountings in the support members, a beater carmeans for creatin suction to remove dust loosened by the brush and beaters, and means for imparting oscillating movement to the brush body.

4. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing having an intake opening adapted to be moved over the surface to be cleaned, a motor, an oscillatory brush member mounted in the casing above said opening and having a longitudinal axis, a plurality of beaters carried thereby, suction creating means driven by said motor to remove dust loosened by the brush and beaters, and a connection between said motor and the brush member for imparting movement to said brush member to oscillate the same about its axis.

5. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing, a motor therein, a motor shaft, a fan and a gear on the shaft, a cylindrical bushing rotatably mounted in the casing at one side of the shaft, a second gear meshing with the irst mentioned gear and carried by the inner end of said mounting and eccentrically thereof, and cleaning elements operable by the second gear, the eccentric mounting providing means for moving the second gear out of engagement with the first gear.

6. A cleaner for floor coverings comprising a casingl having an intake opening, a nonrevolving brush member yieldingly mounted to move bodily upward in the casing above said opening and including bristles, said member being so mounted that the bristles will extend to the surface of the covering being cleaned, beaters movably mounted in the casing above said opening, means to operate the brush and beaters, and means for creating suction to remove dust loosened by the brush and beaters.

7. A cleaner for floor coverings comprising a casing having an intake opening, an oscillatory brush member yieldingly mounted to move bodily upward in the casing adjacent the opening and having bristles, said member being so mounted that when in one position the bristleswill extend through the plane of the intake opening to engage the surface of the covering being cleaned, beaters mounted in the casing adjacent the openinfr, means to actuate the brush and beaters, andD means for creating suction to remove dust loosened by the brush and beaters.

8. A vacuum cleaner com rising a casing having a single narrow elbngated intake opening, an oscillating brush member and oscillating beaters mounted within said casing above said opening, both said brushmember and said beaters eing mounted to yleld dily in an upward direction, means to oscillate said brush and beaters, and suction creating means for removing dust loosened by the brush and beaters.

9. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing, a motor therein, a motor shaft, a fan on the shaft, a dust-tight housing in the casing into which the shaft depends, a body member, a series of cleaning elements thereon, Asaid member vpassing through the walls of said housing, a

connection in said housin between said shaft and said member, sai member being bodily adjustable in said walls, a closure ca about said member and en aglng said wal s for sealing said housing Watever the position of said member.

10. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing thereon, a motor in the casing, a motor shaft, a fan on the shaft, a dust-tight housing in the casing 'into which the shaft projectsla member ,gissing through the walls of t e housing and movable therein, cleaning elements on said member outside the housing, a connection between the shaft and member for actuating the member, said connection being placed in said housing, a closure about the sides of said member engaging said wallsiand completing the bottom of said housing, and means for sealing joints and closure. v

11. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having an intake opening, an oscillating brushmember having a horizontal axis,means for journaling said member upon its axis, beaters mounted upon and disposed about said member and removable with respect to said member, means to oscillate said member about its axis, and means for creating suction to remove dust loosened by the brush member and beaters.

12. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing having an intake opening adapted to be moved over a surface to be cleaned, a body member movably mounted therein on a horizontal axis, beater means mounted on said member and comprising a plurality of beaters disposed about said member, brush means separate from the beater means and also mounted on said member, one of said means removably securing a portion of the other means between it and the body member and thereby retaining the other means on said member, means to drive said member, an means for creating suction to remove dust loosened by said brush and beater means.

13. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing having an intake opening adapted to be moved over a surface to be cleaned, a longitudinally grooved body member mounted and longitudinally disposed withinV and with respect to said opening, a beater unit mounted on said member andcomprising a plurality of beaters having portions mounted in said groove, a vbrush unit removably mounted in said groove and engaging said portions to retain said beaters on said member, means to drive said member, and means to create suction and remove dust loosened by said units.

14. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing having an intake openingv adapted to be moved overa surface to be cleaned, a movable body disposed within and longitudinally of said opening, a brush member and a beater member both carried by said body, one of said members being removably mounted on said body and having a portion engaged between the' body and the other member so as t0 be retained on the body by the other member, means to drive said body, and means to create suction for removing dust loosened by said members.

15. In a vacuum cleaner a casing having an intake opening, a movable body member mounted in the casing above the opening, a brush head removably carried by said member, beaters mounted upon said member and between said walls retained by said brush head, means to oscillate said member, and means for creating suction to remove dust loosened by the brush and beaters.

16. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing, a shaft, a fan on the shaft, a gear on said shaft, an eccentrically mounted gear adapted to engage the first gear, cleaning means driven by the second gear, the casing having a bearing, a mounting for the eccentrically mounte gear being rotatably carried in said bearing, a spring controlled knob connected with said mounting to rotate the same, and pins on sai knob adjustably engageable in sockets in said bearing. 17. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing having an intake opening adapted to be moved over a' surface to be cleaned, a member movably mounted therein on a horizontal axis, a brush head removably carried by said member, a plurality of beaters mounted upon said brush head and disposed thereabout and removable. therefrom and retained thereby upon said movable membermeans to drive said member, and means for remove dust loosened by ers.

18. In a vacuum cleaner. a casing having a bottom wall and an intake therein, a plurality of guard fingers disposed across the intake opening, the rear portions of the fingers extending within the casing and having looped portions therein above the plane of the intake opening, the rear extremities thereof being directed downward and engaging the upper face of said bottom wall. y

19. In a vacuum cleaner, a casing having the brush and beatcreating suction to a bottom wall provided with an intake opening, guard fingers disposed across said opening and having portions extending belowthe plane of the opening for holding a carpet spaced somewhat from the lips of the opening to permit passage of air currents, the rear portions of the fingers having upwardly extending looped por-tions whose rear extremities are directed downward to engage the upper face of said bottom wall, and suctioncreating means to draw the carpet up to said fingers.

20. A vacuum cleaner for surface coverings comprising a casing having a single narrow elongated intake opening adapted to be moved over the surface to be cleaned, suctioncreating means therein, guard fingers dis' above said opening to act upon the oor covlll erin held against said guard fingers, the brus ing and beating functions being performed On said air cushion and the loosened dust being removed by said air currents.

21. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing having a single elongated intake opening, an oscillatory brush member mounted within said opening, a plurality of beaters also movably mounted within said opening, means to actuate the brush and beaters, and means for' creating suction to remove loosened' dust, the beaters being mounted to yield bodily in an upward direction. s

22. A cleaner for floor coverings comprising a casing having an intake Opening, an oscillatory rush member including bristles movably mounted within said opening, means to actuate said brush member, a plurality of beaters mounted on said brush member, said brush member being mounted to Yield'bodily in an upward direction, said yie ding movement belng imparted to said member by travel of its bristles against the na of the covering, and suction creating means or removing dust loosened by said brush member. A 23. A vacuum cleaner comprising a casing having an intake opening, oscillatory beater members mounted within said opening, means to actuate said beater members, said members being mounted to yield bodily in an upward direction, and suction Creatin means for removing dust loosened by sai beaters.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CLIFFORD C. DANCE.

.cERTIFIcATE OF CORRECTION.

Patenf'Noi 1,773,961.

CLIFFORD c. DANCE.

lt is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, line 110, for-4 the word "opening" read openings; page 6, line 74, claim 5, for "mounting" read bushing; and that the said Letters Patent'v should be read withthese corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of May, A. D. 1931.

M. J. Moore;

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents;-

Granted August 26, 193i), to 

